"Are she and the children alright?" Obi-Wan asked as the medical droid floated up to the trio.

"The children are healthy. We don't understand why but for some reason, we are losing the mother."

Obi-Wan looked to Senator Organa and Master Yoda who nodded gravely.

"Dying of a broken heart she is." the ancient Jedi murmured sadly.

Obi-Wan quietly cursed Anakin. It seemed he wasn't content to slaughter the Jedi, but he was going to be the death of his own wife as well.

Obi-Wan held up Padme's children for her to see, feeling mildly uncomfortable holding the two squirming infants.

Padme reached out weakly, brushing her son's head lovingly. "Luke." she murmured. Her eyes turned to her daughter as she touched her as well. "Leia."

Obi-Wan handed the children to the nanny droid who took them in its four arms and cradled the babes far more tenderly than Obi-Wan had managed.

He knelt by her side as she looked at him desperately. "Obi-Wan...there is still...good in him...I know there is."

His eyes narrowed and he took her hands in his. "Padme, don't die and leave the children in my care." she gazed at him weakly, her expression pained though she didn't say anything. "You are stronger than this." he continued, hating himself for the harshness in his tone. "If you leave the children in my care, they will never know the love you had for them, and they will certainly never know of the love you had for their father. I will never tell them the truth."

Padme's eyes widened ever so slightly in alarm. The embers of the fire that had once blazed behind them just visible in her gaze. Still, she was weakening and Obi-Wan was unsure what else he could do to provoke her to live. Then something miraculous happened. First Leia, then Luke began to cry and wail pitiably. Despite all the soothing that the nanny droid attempted nothing would silence their cries. Padme's eyes blazed furiously and she struggled to a sitting position with Obi-Wan's help.

She reached her arms out for her children. "My babies." she whispered, her voice regaining some of the strength it had once born.

The nanny droid handed first Leia then Luke to her and Padme cradled them both in her arms, her voice a soft whisper as she cooed to them, and their cries quieted to little hiccups as they squirmed in her arms.

She looked at him, the fire in her eyes restored. "Obi-Wan, help me."

He blinked, confused as to her meaning.

"I can't feed them like this." she prompted.

Obi-Wan's face flushed as he took her meaning, he began to gesture but Padme's eyes widened in terror and she clutched the two children to her closely as if he might attack them. Obi-Wan stopped immediately, realizing just what it was that he'd reminded her of.

"I'm sorry." he said simply, still fighting with his blushing face as he helped her off with her top in a more conventional manner.

The infants began suckling and Padme looked down at them lovingly, her eyes no longer for Obi-Wan in the least. For his part, Obi-Wan stood back with a great sigh of relief. It seemed that whatever damage Anakin had done, was reparable.

"Is she stable?" Senator Organa asked worriedly as Obi-Wan left the operation room.

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes. She's fine." he didn't mention Padme's reaction to his attempt to use the Force, there was no need to bring that up.

"What do we do now?" the Senator asked worriedly. "If Anakin realizes she's still alive—"

"Hide them we must." Master Yoda said simply. He looked to Obi-Wan. "Your task this is."

Obi-Wan and the Senator exchanged glances before the latter spoke in respectful terms.

"With due respect Master Yoda, I think my household would be a more suitable place. I can easily take in three additional mouths and keep them safe."

Master Yoda shook his head. "No. Need a Jedi teacher the children will."

"Both you and Master Kenobi are welcome on Alderaan." Senator Organa replied. "We would keep you safe."

"Pacifism will not keep Palpatine away from the children, and he will discover they're there." Obi-Wan said, cutting off the Senator's half formed protest. "Alderaan is too exposed, too close to the galactic core, and too outspoken to be safe for Padme and the children."

The Senator bristled but kept his calm as he replied dubiously. "Do you have a better idea Master Kenobi?"

"Tatooine."

Senator Organa's eyes widened. "That sand ridden cesspit? It's controlled by the Hutts and beyond Republic law!"

"Exactly." Obi-Wan replied. "It is also Anakin's homeworld and somewhere he never wants to return to. We'll be safe enough there."

The Senator turned to Master Yoda. "Do you agree with this Master Yoda?"

The aged Jedi Master suddenly looked much older and far more tired than Obi-Wan ever remembered him as he nodded gravely.

"A good plan it is. The children with Master Kenobi to Tatooine will go."

Senator Organa scowled but nodded. "This is a Jedi matter, I will respect that. What will you do Master Yoda?"

"Into seclusion I will go. Until right the time is for a return of the Jedi."

Obi-Wan looked at Yoda with concern. "Where will you go?"

"Dagobah." Yoda said simply. "Before then, something more to teach you there is. An old friend, wishes to speak with you he does."

Obi-Wan looked over at Padme in the seat besides him as he piloted the star skiff over the Dune Sea and towards the Jundland Wastes where the farmstead he'd purchased with Padme's funds. There had been some contention over how money should be handled but it was eventually done in such a way to avoid attention. Obi-Wan and Padme now had access to all the funding their new lives would require and then some. The trick would be not to make it so obvious that they had such wealth, especially if they wanted to avoid attention. There had also the obvious fact that they'd needed a body. For that, they had left Padme entirely in the dark until after the decision had been made. One of her handmaidens had volunteered her life, pretending to be Padme at the funeral. Obi-Wan still wasn't certain if Padme had forgiven him—or ever would—for that.

The galaxy now thought that Senator Padme Amidala was buried on Naboo and except for a handful of individuals, no one knew that she was in fact in hiding with her two children on Tatooine. The trick would be in maintaining that deception. Even this ship was a bit much but Senator Organa's people had given it a once over and it was no longer the sleek Naboo skiff it had once been. Now it appeared to be a decades old clunker, rusting and barely held together by a down on his luck spacer looking to settle down with his new family.

That was the image that Obi-Wan wanted to cast anyways. A war weary spacer just looking for peace and quiet in the seclusion of the wastes of Tatooine.

Padme looked back at him, the children sleeping in her arms. "Do you think we'll be safe here?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "I think so. No one knows who we are."

"The Lars know who I am." Padme said. "We will need to tell them."

Obi-Wan winced. He didn't like that idea. The less people knew, the better. However Padme was right. Anakin's step-family would need to know. Otherwise the risk was that they'd find out of their own accord and undo everything.

"Alright. We'll contact them once we're settled."

Padme nodded. "Thank you." a coy smile came to her features. "Ben."

Obi-Wan blinked. That was the first genuine smile he'd seen on Padme's face since all of this had begun. It was a good sign. A sign that she really could recover from all this. 'Ben' was Obi-Wan's new name. Leda was Padme's. Ben and Leda Jinn. The old friend that Master Yoda had wanted Obi-Wan to speak with had been the ghost—or whatever he had been—of Qui-Gon Jinn. Obi-Wan's former master, now long dead but somehow still among them as a spirit. It had been Qui-Gon who had suggested the name change, and Obi-Wan who had asked if they might take his master's name. That had seemed to please Qui-Gon. There had been more of course, but that was for another time, when Obi-Wan had to begin training the children. Until then, Qui-Gon's words could wait.

"There it is." he said as the small moisture farm came into view.

Padme leaned forwards and looked at the small collection of buildings. "It's certainly different."

"I'm sorry Padme." Obi-Wan said differently.

"Leda." she corrected. "And no, it's fine. We'll make it work, and if I remember anything about this planet, it's that everyone builds underground." she looked back at the farmstead. "It's larger than it looks."

Obi-Wan nodded as he spun the skiff gently into a landing position, avoiding the jagged rock outcroppings just barely. He wondered if they'd need to sell the ship, but he didn't like the idea of cutting off a potential escape route should they be found out. It was a decision for another day. For now, they needed to settle in.

"That is the last of the luggage Mistress Leda." C-3PO said respectfully as he placed the latest articles from the ship amongst the rest of the things they'd brought with them. "If you'll not be needing me for the moment I'll power down now."

"Thank you Threepio." Padme said. "That will be all."

R2-D2 warbled something in a short blat and Threepio turned on the little droid.

"I am not lazy you worthless rust-bucket. I merely would like to rest!"

As the two continued going at it, Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile. They'd had to rewrite the overly talkative droid so that he would not give away their secret accidentally. Obi-Wan hadn't liked the idea of keeping him in the first place but Padme had insisted. So with a little help, Obi-Wan had created an elaborate story of the various adventures that Threepio and Artoo had shared before coming into the Jinn household some years ago. The stories ranged from the boring to the absurd, but they did one thing very consistently. Made sure that Threepio would never reveal the truth. Obi-Wan knew the droid meant well, but that he was also a very polite protocol droid and there were some things you couldn't change without major reprogramming. Something else Padme had been against.

After Threepio had shut himself off, Padme turned to Obi-Wan with a fretful expression.

"Ben, what do we tell the children about Anakin?"

Obi-Wan did his best to smile at her as he replied. He'd given this some thought on the flight to Tatooine and had finally decided upon a story that explained everything that needed to be explained. From a certain point of view. It was all a matter of perspective.

"Anakin was an officer in the Republic during the Clone Wars. Just a regular officer. He died near the end of the war, leaving you to raise the children. I was Anakin's close friend and I married you and adopted the children as my own."

Padme took in a deep breath and Obi-Wan could feel her unease but she nodded.

"Will they ever know the truth?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Eventually, as they grow older. I will need to tell them more of what happened."

"You're going to train them. Aren't you." Padme said, holding the children closer to her protectively.

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to reply but then stopped himself, considering Padme's feelings for a moment before starting anew.

"Yes. I have to if they're going to be anywhere near as strong as Anakin is." he looked down at the two slumbering infants. "If they aren't overly sensitive to the Force then no, I will let them live as regular children should."

He honestly hoped that they were as strong as Anakin was. Much as it might hurt Padme, the hope and future of the Jedi rested in these two babes. Their growth into Jedi would be the kindling that would relight the fire of the Jedi Order. Perhaps one day both would lead the resurgence of the Order against Palpatine. And against their father.

"I don't want them to be Jedi Ben." Padme said simply.

"Pad—Leda, there isn't an option. If they are sensitive and I don't train them then they may turn into—" he stopped himself from calling them 'another Anakin' but the thought was there and Padme's expression told Obi-Wan all he needed to know. She knew his thoughts and shared them.

"Will you promise me to be a good father for them before you are a Jedi Master?" Padme asked after a long moment of silence had passed between them.

Obi-Wan nodded immediately though the prospect of being a father scared him more than being a Jedi Master had ever done. Padme looked at him for a long moment before she stood and crossed the luggage crowded living space and sat besides him on the old and worn couch. She handed little Luke to him and he cradled the boy in his arms carefully, as if the babe might break. Luke for his part squirmed and rolled over in Obi-Wan's grip, nuzzling against his tunic. Obi-Wan's breathing was anything but calm, he'd never held a life in his hands so literally. He looked up from the infant to find Padme watching him intently.

She leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I think you'll be a good father Ben."

Obi-Wan didn't say anything, looking down at Luke, and then to Leia who was sleeping soundly in her mother's arms. He looked at Padme but then stopped as he realized she too had fallen asleep. He took a deep steadying breath before leaning his head back and closing his own eyes. They all needed their rest. As he brought about a Jedi trance he had the strangest thought. Perhaps being a father would be enough.